The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-03
SHOWING UP COLONEL SMITH.
Horace Gree.y's Family Made Penni1ess by
His Spendthrift Son-fn-Law.

New York Special.
The action of COL Nicholas Smith in present
ing bill of $50 Edward j. Ovington, OF
Brooklyn and Chicago for services rendered as
best man at the iat;ers recent wedding and his
letters regarding the pay ment Of the bill, have
considerably seitated society Brooklyn
Heights. where both men are well known. 11r
Ovington said to-day:
Il know practically nothing about Mr. Smith.
and q number OF my friends ask how / came to
choose such a man that for groomsman. He
left Louisville very abruptly the night of my
marriage because. as it is understood there. the
sheriff was looking for him for debt While ]
was in Cincinatti a short time afterward Colo
mel Smith called on me to indorse his note for
81, 900 or So 000 forget which now. ] refused,
and doubtless. to revenge himself he has COM
menced this disgraceful action. / did ask
him to stand MP with me, and from what heard
of him after my marriage was not surprised TO
receive a bill from him. ] sent him $780, which
was more than he should have received, but
thought if could get rid of him in that way
the money would be well spent. To tell you the
truth, do not believe he paid cent tn come to
the wedding. he was always running back and
forth from New York to Steu5envile and Louis
Vile. My friends were more than surprised at
my accepting his offer to stand up with me. but
/ could not refuse his offer, coming as it did At
the request OF a mutual friend Nothing he
could say could injure me in any manner"
The action of Colonel Smith has opened the
way for many friends of the late Horace Greeley
to speak their minds concerning his squandering
of the fortune left by Greeley to his two daugh-
tiers, Ida and Gabrielle. the former OF whom
ject to many of them who knew that he had. by
his investments. lost all the money left to the
Greeley sisters. and with their fortune that of
Mrs. Cleveland. the sister of Mr. Greeley. Such
is the fact, and Mrs Cleveland. who has for
some years lived at the Coleman House. in New
York. has added to her income by performing
certain duties in that hotel. She has been reu-
cent concerning the conduct of Colonel Smith,
mainly because that person had said that if any
publicity were given to the matter he would
never make the losses good. and if it were kent
quiet he would pay back what he could.
Miss Gabrielle Greeley's money in
his hands and that went with Mrs. Smiths.
The money of the latter. after hsr
death was go to her children. Mrs. Smith
died before her money was spent The childru
were taken to Kentucky, and they
there in the charge of his sisteA Miss Gabrieie
Greeley is living at Chappaqua, in the homeof
old friends. and has nothing left of her patrifo-
nv. Her friends have grieved that she has liad
so retired life, but few OF them have been I'D
that she has alternative without makg
known her condition, thing she has not dee
out Of regard for her sister. Mrs Clevelsd
has scrupulouly avoided all talk Of her misfd-
unes, and the few friends who have shared II
confidence have felt that it was the only hopef
her securing any of her lost property. OF Lao
they have not believed that she would ever
cover dollar, and now that the Colonel hs
shown himself. apparently. to be utterly imp.
cunious all hope has fled. Horace Greeley
child and his grandchildren poor, and hi
sister is homeless in her old age.